Crane capable of lifting 20,000 metric tons cuts production time in half for semi-submersible vessel construction

Yantai, China and Paris, France – November 6, 2007 – Dassault Systèmes (DS) (Nasdaq: DASTY; Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, and Yantai Raffles Shipyard (YRS), the leading offshore and marine fabrication specialist, today announced a significant milestone in YRS’ digital transformation. Taisun, the world’s largest crane, planned, designed and managed end-to-end using DS’s PLM solutions, is currently undergoing stringent testing and commissioning before full deployment, this year end.

“Taisun is earmarked for 10 lifts over the next 20 months. Each lift estimated at 10,000 -16,000 metric tons and we expect it to save over 2 million man hours for each semi-submersible. Partnering with DS allows us to transform our business. Our PLM platform is a vital part of a strategic plan to drive future business and become the ‘yard of choice’ for partners and clients,” explains Mr. Brian Chang, chairman, Yantai Raffles Shipyard. “With Taisun, YRS believes that it has revolutionized the way major offshore projects will be built in the future. The drivers are safety, quality and time, which all equate to cost. With PLM and Taisun, YRS is well on the way to have the best process for designing and manufacturing extreme projects.”

Conventional methods of rig construction- often associated with complex integration issues and high cost- will be a thing of the past. With vessels becoming more technologically-advanced and sophisticated, it is mission-critical that companies are supported by a highly-skilled engineering force, cutting-edge facilities and superior technology.

“DS’s PLM solutions link the whole value chain – vendors, manufactures, operators, designers, testers - improving collaboration, reducing costs and increasing efficiencies,” says Denis Georgeon, general manager PLM channel China & South Asia, Dassault Systèmes. “With full digital mock-ups and standardized data formats, Yantai Raffles can outsource work to the best partners and suppliers and ensure strict quality control, design precision and other mission-critical elements in the end-to-end process of planning, designing, building and project management for each of the semi-submersibles and offshore vessels it builds.” Yantai Raffles leverages the full suite of DS’s PLM solutions including CATIA for designing the virtual product, DELMIA for virtual production, and ENOVIA for global collaborative lifecycle management.

The Chairman of Yantai Raffles Shipyard, Mr. Brian Chang, will be speaking about how PLM and Taisun are linked to its future at DS’s European CATIA Forum on November 6 in Paris.